In approximately 400 AD, the great Greek philosopher Socrates predicted the unsutainability of democracy because of its nature. He stated: “The system of democracy will fail in attempt to suit everyone. The poor will want part of the wealth of the rich and democracy will provide them. The young will demand rights of the old, women of men, and foreigners of the native inhabitants, and democracy will provide them. When villains naturally attracted by positions of power will control the democracy, tyranny worse than any monarchy or oligarchy will be formed. Democracy in the 21st century clearly is controlled by certain people who have their own benefit as the top priority. Those in the background also control the media which is an incredible power in the days of information technology. True democracy is impossible to achieve because of human nature. Greed, selfishness, laziness are the most infamous attributes of people that democracy is unable to overcome. Greed and gluttony of people in power combined with the ignorance of voters holds true democracy back.
The relationship between candidates for parliamentary positions and the voters is a vicious circle of hopes and promises. The show that precedes the elections is a dirty game. It is a struggle for votes in which politicians with their teams do not hesitate to do or say whatever it takes to get elected. Empty promises and bribes are fully conventional in political campaigns which are corporation sponsored. People in major political positions enjoy many advantages like access to valuable information about possible future businesses or political immunity.
It is hard to resist the pressure and play fair, especially when there are puppeteers in the background pulling the strings attached to the well paid politicians. If elections were to change anything, they would probably be banned already. The appetite grows with eating and human greed has no limits. This is another reason why true democracy is unachievable. True democracy is impossible to achieve due to people being naturally selfish. The saying “People are all equal to each other, but some are more equal,” has a long history. Society has always been divided into classes.
There are those in power and those below them; upper class, the rich and the lower class, the poor in the modern age. The upper class did not want to allow the ‘ordinary’ people to join them because that would force them to share their wealth. It is possible to become rich, yet democracy itself will not arrange it for everyone just like that. Money is what makes democracy impossible to achieve, it is what corrupts character, but world without it is unimaginable. Laziness, the most common feature prevents the lazy people to be successful in democracy.
Based on Charles Darwin’ s theory, people of the 21st century carry the basic instinct of survival. Standards of the new millennium dictates as follows – with money it is easier to survive. True democracy tries to see people equal to each other. To give them same opportunities and same treatment under the law. However, people are neither equally skilled nor motivated. Opinions, votes of two lazy and undereducated adults have larger value than an opinion of a bright mind. Democracy with freedom gives also responsibility to people.
Responsibility for themselves and an equal part of responsibility for the charge to make educated decisions on who to put in actual charge of the nation, to parliament. The negative attribute of human character like voracity and greed hold true democracy in an endless maze. Democracy, just like every other regime is an idealistic idea which cannot be fully realized in reality. The only option people have is to perceive the power of their vote and to cast it against the mainstream. At the same time, people should realize that the freedom received from democracy determines them to provide for their own selves.
